Shape Shifting: Breast Enhancement Surgery

Age is just a number. We might feel like spry 25-year-olds on the inside, yet there's
no denying that our bodies change with time. For women, pregnancies, breastfeeding
and weight fluctuations all contribute to changes in breast shape and volume. Those
looking for a little help can turn to Dr. Christina Plikaitis, a SLUCare Physician Group plastic surgeon specializing in breast reconstructions,
reductions, augmentations and lifts.

Whether the breast has been removed for cancer or has undergone changes due to aging,
we have a lot of experience in reshaping and reforming.”

SLUCare offers a range of options for women searching for solutions, and our physicians
have experience in a broad variety of cases, Plikaitis says. "I do a lot of breast
reconstruction cases, as well as cosmetic and functional breast reductions," she says.
"Whether the breast has been removed for cancer or has undergone changes due to aging,
we have a lot of experience in reshaping and reforming."

And for some women, breast reduction is a matter of improved function. "Patients with
unwanted enlargement often experience symptoms like back pain and rashes and infections
under the breast, and also can sometimes have difficulty exercising; those people
respond well to breast reductions," Plikaitis explains.

She says making use of the latest techniques gives patients the best outcomes, which
can mean smaller incisions and shorter recovery periods. Vertical breast reductions,
for example, leave patients with a much smaller scar, Plikaitis says. Liposuction
also can help make the end result look more natural in reduction surgeries. "We use
liposuction to reshape and make sure the sides of the breast blend into the breast
tissue to give a nice, natural shape," she explains. "Not all surgeons take the time
to do that."

Gone are the days when getting a breast augmentation resulted in round, unnatural-looking
breasts — today, patients have better options, Plikaitis says. "The teardrop-shaped
gummy bear implant, which is made of silicone gel and has a more natural shape, is
one of the more popular implants that has become available in the last few years,"
she says. "Those are ideal for patients who prefer to have a larger breast size but
want to avoid appearing cosmetically altered."

That was the goal for one 35-year-old St. Louis patient who recently underwent a breast
augmentation. She had wanted augmentation since she was in her late teens, a feeling
confirmed by the fuller breasts she had during breastfeeding. "Before, if I didn't
have a bra on, my shoulder blades stuck out farther," she says. "I wanted to be able
to put on a swimsuit and fill it out." After working with Plikaitis, the patient says
she now has the body she always wanted. "I feel almost like a different person — when
I look in the mirror, I love it."

That's the part Plikaitis appreciates most about her job. "Many of my patients are
just looking to get their pre-pregnancy bodies back," she says. "Most of them are
fit, and surgery gives them the body they can't otherwise get from diet and exercise
alone. It's incredibly rewarding."